Cheese-cutting mechanism



J. R. MEYERS. CHEESE CUTTING, MECHANISM.

FILED AUG- 92!- later subj ected.

'lerent views Patented ll ehu Ed,

t .i hat i t m t y i W i t, it i To all whom itf may concern? Bait known that l, Jones R. Marlins, a citizen of the United States and a resident of the city of Evanston, in the county of: Qoolr and @tate of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful lrnprovenoentsin lheese-Cuttingl/llechanisrn; and I do hereby declarethatt is following is a full, clear and exact description of the same, rett'erence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the nuinerals of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specilication. i This invention relates to cheese cutting mechanism in which a block of cheese is simultaneously cut into a number of smaller blocks for further treatme nt. it is an object of thi "nvention to provide a novel form of cutting mechanism that produces uni-form blocks and which is prop erly guided and provided with trimmers.

lit is a further object of this invention to provide a cutter for producing Wavy surface contours on the cut blocks for filling purpose to facilitate the rinding process, to which the smaller cut blocks of cheese are l/Vith these and other objects in view which Will be inore apparent in the following description and disclosures "in the draw ings, this invention comprises the novel mechanism and structure hereinafter described and more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

lustrate the preferredembodirnents of my invent1on, and in which similar relerence numerals refer to sirnllar teatures n the ditliigure 1 is ting press. I

Figure 2 1s a top view of the cutter giiidlDlZbOX wlth the cutter in position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one torm oi cutter.

Figure 4 isa Figure 3. i

Figure 5 is a top View of a modified form of cutter. i

t Figure 6 is a topvievv of the cutter with the trimmers attached.

section ron the line 4 of a lication area august 215, 921.

in the accompanying drawings Which il-* a front elevation ot the cut the form of upr ciannsn-cirrrine Mechanism.

seri l no. water. t

Figure 7 is a section through the cutter guiding box illustrating; certain features Figure 8 isa perspective Vica of a block so cut with Wavy formation, it

i a perspective View of a i pieceoit cheese With Wavy contour. ."e ll) is anelevational view" of the liloclr m cheese shown in Figure 9 after the iusing'process. y

s shown on the tlHLWlD Si referring to the drawings, Which illustrate one Form of mechanism that lhave devised it Will be observeddthat the block of cheese 1 is placed Within the cutter guide w ich comprises a grooved Walled structure surrounding the block of cheese to be cut. "lhc form of the cutter guide should be shaped to conform to the desired block of cheese. in the present instance, in which substantially square hloclrs cit uncut cheese are illustraterh the cutter guide box presents the appearance of an open box-like structure having the walls 3 and 4t rigidly secured at their adjacentends and the Walls and 6 also ri 'idly securedat their adjacentends; the ad 'nin g endsot the Walls d and 6 being prorided with a hinge connection 7, While the adjacent ends of the Walls 3 and 5 are l ched together by some appropriate means which may be the simple latch 8 secured to one wall and latched to aprojection onthe other Wall. Thus the guide bolt is composed of two sections hinged together. By unlatching; the walls 3 and 5, the box like structure may be opened by swinging the rigidly joined walls outwardly upon the hinge connection, as is obvious. The top and bottom of the guide bonstructure are open, and the upperportion niay be provided with a narrow outwardly extending liange,

shown in Figure 2, it desirable. inner Walls of the 'ulde box are provided with a nuinber of spaced grooves 9 having; constricted open neclrs corresponding to the number and spacing of the cutter blades 10 Whichare provided with. guide heads 11 in ight cylindrical ine nbers vhich lit in the said'grooves. These grooves extend through the guide box so that the cutter can pass therethrough.

The cutter is prefer blywrnadeby uniting cording to the a plurality of crossed blades so arranged as to provide the desired form of cut cheese de sired. In the drawing, the blades are shown crossed at right angles and all equally spaced to out equal pieces of cheese in the form of substantial squares, but it is to be understood that different forms may be produced by different arrangement of the blades forming the cutter, as is obvious. The blades are provided with interlitting parts for the purpose of uniting or joining the same as by cutting slits substantially half way through each blade at the desired points so that each slit will receive the uncut portion in line with the slit of the crossed blade at that particular point. The length of the blades and the spacing thereof should be designed accheese to be cut and the guide box therefor will be accordingly proportioned and designed so that the large block of cheese will readily fit therein, but leaving enough space therearound to accommodate the trimmer blades 12, shown in Figure 6, which may be used if desired to trim the outer surfaces adjacent theguide box. cutting blades may be smooth, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 6, or they may be of wavy form, as shown in Figure The blocks of cheese that are cut by my cutter of wavy form naturally have wavy surfaces, and in the process of fusing the surfaces of these blocks, they are first wrapped in a suitable wrapper, as shown in Fig. 9, and placed in a press, the walls of which are heated, and slight pressure is then applied as illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 488,869. During this operation, the crests will spread and fuse over the surface, filling any blow holes, cavities, or irregularities in the surfaces of the cheese,

and the fusedsurfaces of the cheese will condition smooth surfaces, as v Figure 10.

For the purpose of cutting the cheese, a cutting press is preferably used to force the cutter through the block of uncut cheese. In Figure 1, I have illustrated one form of cutting press which may be used. the same consisting of an upright frame 13 havinga cheese supporting platform 14 and a top member 15 in which a steam or hydraulic cylinder 16 is supported for operating the plunger 17, which 18 provided with the usual piston operating in the cylinder. ger mechanism consists of a head 18 which has a number of screw threaded bosses in which studs 19 are secured. The number of studs preferably corresponds to the mun-- ber of guides on the cutter, and they are so spaced that their lower ends come into contact with the cutter guides on the downward movement of the plunger. in order to keep the lower ends of the rods properly spaced. a ring member 20 fastened to the posts lt-l and guides the studs as they are descendin; through the guide box in the act of driving the cutter hrough the cheese.

The operation is as follows:

in using my apparatus, a base composed of spaced wooden blocks 1. or the like is arranged upon the platform 14-, the spaces between the blocks being adapted for allowing the knives to pass therein. The block of cheese to be out is supported upon these blocks surrounded by the guide box. "he cutter is placed upon the top of the cheese with the guides 11 in the grooves 9. The plunger 17 may then be operated downwardly, the studs 19 engaging the guides ll which project beyond the sides and ends of the cheese, for forcing the cutter through the cheese. The construction of the guide box is such that the cutter can be advanced completely through the cheese and into the looks I, and in such position the box can 3e unlutched and removed from its position around the cheese, as is obvious.

It should be particularly noted that. my cutter comprises blades which are rigid and can be provided with a fine cutting edge and that it is adapted for also trimmingthe exposed sides and ends of the cheese, and that the same may comprise blades of wavy formation. It is characteristic of my cutter that it is provided with e icfent rounded guides that operate in substantially circular grooves having merely open neclrs for receiving the blades, thus preventing lateral It should also be noted that in v cutter can be readily constructed and assembled.

I am aware that numerous details struction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: 7

1. A cheese cutting mechanism consisting or an open ended box comprising two sections hinged together, adapted for receiving a block of cheese to be out and having grooves in the inner walls thereof a cutter comprising a plurality of crossed blades having guides at their outer ends slidably fitting in said grooves, and means for exerting pressure on said guides for operating said cutter.

2. In a cheese cutt ng mechanism,

of cona cutter m their ends.

. r r r c: v r 0 6. In 1r cheese cuttlng mechzmlem, a cutter JULHJQ ME havlngenlarged guldes at lts ends, and e Witnesses: r

reclprocel devrce for operarmg 5&(1 cutter (Ir-meme W. HILLS, Jr,

engaging said guides.

rear-we? r comprising a plurality of blades having ir1 In testimony wlrereo'f have hereunto eerfitr-ing parts, connected at angles to each rnrbserlbed my m i'he presence 01? two other, end ha vlrrg enlarged guldmg pertlens srrhscr-lbrng WTtHi-ESSGS.

comprising a head having studs adapted for JAMES M. ()"Bmrrrr. 

